Ball rolling target



Sept, 16, 1958 s. F. KORDEK BALL ROLLING TARGET 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Jan. 23, 1957 INVENTOR. 575w F3 $919054 I H16 Afroaemzn Sept 1%, 195 s. F. KORDEK 2,852,259

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5751/51/ 15'' Kata/5x 54 United States Patent BALL ROLLING TARGET Steven F. Kordek, Chicago, 111., assignor to Genco, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 23, 1957, SerialNo. 635,776

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-101.2)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a ball rolling target and is adapted'to be employed in a target practicing device.

An object of my invention is to provide a ball rolling target which may be used in a reflected target arrange ment such as is currently employed in target practicing devices.

Another object of my invention is the provision in a device of this character of a means for permitting the ball rolling target to disappear from line of sight to simulate hit by the marksman.

Another important object of my invention is the provision in a device of this character of a methodof employing the ball rolling target as an electrical conductor for the electric target circuit employed in the device;

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an electric circuit having operative connection through a ball rolling target for energizing a ball releasing means for permitting the ball target to disappear from the line of sight.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of a target practicing Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 5.5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts thereof in their pivoted position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail sectionalview taken on line 77 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts thereof in their pivoted relation;

Fig. 9 is a schematic circuit diagram for my invention.

My invention has to do with a ball rolling target that is associated with a target practicing device, wherein the targets are contained within a cabinet and are by the use of mirrors reflected upon a target area where, through the use of a movable contact arm carried by a simulated gun, an electrical circuit is established whereby the targets are made to disappear from view to simulate being hit.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a target practicing device having a cabinet 10, a simulated gun 11 carried by 'the cabinet, a mirror 12 upon which the target elements are reflected from a target board 13 within the base of the cabinet 10. N

The target board 13 comprises a base board 14. A

target board 15 is positioned in a vertical diagonal manner upon the base board 14. Supporting legs 16 are attached by brackets 17 to the target board 15 for diagonally positioning the target board over the base board 14 as viewed in Fig. 4. Carried by the board 15 are a plurality of targets 18. These targets are of dif ferent shapes and forms and make up no part of the present invention. Adjacent the top of the board 15 and extending longitudinally of the Width thereof are formed elongated cut-outs 19 and 20. Below and adjacent the cut-outs 19 and 20 are track members 21 and 22. These track members 21 and 22 are fastened to the board 15 by screws 23 or the like passing through a depending flange 24 thereof. The track members 21 and 22, like the cutouts 19 and 20, are sloped in opposite directions throughout the width of the board 15 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Thus, a ball gravitating down the uppermost track 21, when reaching its lowermost end 25 will roll off the track 21 and fall onto the uppermost portion 26 of the track 22. A ball receiving pocket 27 is carried by the board '15 adjacent the end of the track 22, as seen in Fig. 3.

To the rear of the board 15 and having open communication with the cut-outs 19 and 20 are return tracks 28 and 29. These return trackets 28 and 29 are also sloped in a like direction with respect to the tracks 21 and 22.

The uppermost track 28 has its lower end terminating into a ball pocket 30. This ball pocket 30 has communication with a passage 31 formed through the board 15. The passage 31 opens onto the uppermost end 26 of the track 22.

Under such arrangement, if a ball is gravitated down either track 21 or return track 28, it will pass ontothe uppermost end 26 of the track 22 for gravitation down such track. This arrangement is for a purpose hereinafter made apparent.

A shield 32 is carried by the board 15 adjacent the 2 ends 25 and 26 of the tracks 21 and 22. This shield 32 covers from view the passage 31. Such shield 32 provides a ball guide 33 for guiding the ball when itpasses from the track 21 or leaves the passage 31 for movement 1 onto the track 22 (Figs. 7 and 8).

The lowermost return track 29 terminates into a ball pocket 34. This ball pocket 34 has open communication with a ball passage 35 formed through the board 15. The passage 35 opens into the pocket 27 as seen in Fig. 3.

The lowermost end 28 of the track 22 also terminates in open communication with this ball receiving pocket 27 (see Fig. 3). The pocket 27 has a tapered bottom wall 29' and balls will thereby be delivered into the path of a ball lift mechanism.

This ball lift mechanism comprises a pair of vertically aligned spaced apart wheels 36 rotatably carried on shafts 37 supported by suitable brackets 33. Over the peripheral edges of these wheels 36 passes a tape 39. This tape 39 has two angled members 40 riveted thereto. One flange of the angled member 40 will pass upwardly through an opening in the tapered bottom wall 29' of the pocket 27 and will seat a ball thereon. A ball lift guide is providedv board 15.

To maintain the ball on either of the tracks 21 or 22 i and in the cut-outs 19 and 20, I provide a ball retaining Each of the the bars 44 as seen in Figs. and 6.

The link ,48 is fixedly connected ,by an armAS' to the free end of a plunger 49' ofan electrorna'gnetic coil 49. The coil 49 is connected bya suitable'bracket 59 to the rear of the board 15 as viewed in Fig. 2. The arm 48' has connected thereto oneend or a spring 51. The

spring 51 has its other end connected to one of the brackets 46 as viewed in Figs. 5 and 6. The spring 51 tends to pivot the bars 44 about their .pivotal connection in a clockwise direction and also acts to maintain the plunger 49 in a position out of the coil 49. The arm 48 will arrest such pivotal movement of the bars 44 in a clockwise direction through theaction of the spring 51. In such arrested .posii Q l, the bars 44 will maintain a ball gravitating down the tracks 21 or 22 in a desired position was to be reflected by the mirror 12 into the line of sight of the marksman.

If the bars 44 are pivoted, the ball by gravitation falls through the cut-outs 19 or 20 and passes onto the return tr'acks'28 or 29 (Figs. 7 and 8).

The operation of the device is as follows:

Normally such device is coin-operated and as such the electrical circuit is initially established by the closing of a coin switch 52; Referring to Fig. 9 in which there is shown a schematic wiring circuit for my device, it is seen that by the closing of the coin switch 52 an electriccircuit is established through conductors 53 and 54.

A shot step-up disc 55 is included in the circuit. When the'step-up arm 56 of the disc 55 is on a contact point which is hot, the relay 57 is energized, closing a relay switch 58 which then energizes the ball lift motor .43. When the motor 43 is energized, the ball targets are deposited onto the uppermost track 21 for gravitation theredown. The present shot step-up disc 55 shows that the contacts 1 to 4 and Q to 12 and 17 to 2 5 are capable of energizing the relay 57'for closing the switch 58 to energize the motor 43.

The simulated gun, which is of a well-known constructioii, hasa stylus (not shown) which has a pointer 59 whichis movable over a disc 60 upon which are situated suitable contact points 61. The trigger of the gun embodies a switch 62 in the circuit of the device. The trigger switch 62 will energize a step-up coil 63 for moving the step-up arm 56 over the disc 55.

When the stylus 59 is on the contact point 61 of the disc 60 and the trigger switch 62 is closed and the ball gravitating down the track 21 or 22 is in contact with an electrical contact 64 positioned periodically thereon, acircuit is created to the electromagnetic coil 49 for energizing the same. Referring to Fig. 9,, the circuit for the above operation is as follows:

From line 54 through the stylus 59 through the contact 61, closed trigger switch 62, contact point"6 4 on either of the tracks 21 or 22, the ball, either of the retaining bars 44, the coil 49,-back to line 53. When the coil 49 is energized, the retaining bar 44 is pivoted from ball retaining position and the ball will roll off either of the tracks 21 or 22, depending upon its position, when such a hit is scored.

B y reason of the slope of the board 15, with respect to. the base board 14, the rolling ball targets are. only reflected in the mirror 12 as those in the line of sight of the operator, when the ball targets are held on the tracks 21; and 22 bythe. bar 44.

It should also be noted that as the rolling ball; and the bar 44 make up components of the. electric circuit, the bar 44; has a suitable-conductor connected. theretofor such purpose.

From, the foregoing, it is readily apparent that I have constructedv a ball moving target that requires the use r n n ss end o -of-but twoball targets. "The device continuously presents one of the balls as a target and adds to the skill of the operator and his enjoyment of playing such device.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to theprecise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desiretoprotectby Letters Patent is:

1. A ball rolling target comprising a target board, a plurality of diagonally opposed target tracks mounted on one side of said board, a plurality of ball return tracks carried on the rear side of said board in confronting relation to said target tracks, means providing communication: between said target tracks. and said return tracks,

meansiior ,deliveringa ball rolling target from one target track to another target track, means for lifting and deliyering the-ball-rolling target from one of said return tracks to said one target track, means for releasably supporting the ball rolling target inline of sight on said target tracks, and means for pivoting said supporting means out of ball supporting position to permit the ball target to pass by gravity to one of said return tracks out of line of sight to simulate scoring a hit.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivoting means comprises an electromagnetic coil.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises ball retaining bars pivotally carried -hy said board and movable from a rolling ball supporting position with respect to said target tracks to a position with respect to said return tracks so as to provide open communication between said target tracks and said return tracks.

4. A ball rolling target comprising a target board, a plurality of diagonally opposed target tracks mounted on one side ofsaid board, a plurality of ball return tracks carried on the rear side of said board in confronting relation to said target tracks, means providing communication "between said target tracks and said return tracks, means for delivering a ball rolling target from one target track to another target track, means for lifting and delivering the ball rolling target from one of said return tracks to said one target track, means for releasably supporting the ball rolling targetin line of sight on said target tracks, means for pivoting said supporting means out of ball supporting position to permit the ball target to, pass by gravity to one of said return tracks out of line of sight tovsimulate scoring a hit, and means on said target tracks cooperating with the ball target and said supporting means for operating said pivoting means' 5, A target practicing device wherein the target elements are reflected by mirrors into the line of sight of the operator, comprising a target board, a plurality of diagonally opposed target tracks mounted on one side of said board, a plurality of ball return tracks carried by the rear side of said board in confronting relation to said target tracks, means providing communication between said target tracks and said return tracks, means for delivering a hall roiling target from one target track to another target track, means for lifting and delivering the ball rollingtarget from one of said return tracks to said one target tracks means for releasably supporting the ball l rolling target in line of sight on said target tracks, means for pivoting said supporting means out of ball supporting position to permit the ball target to pass by gravity to one of said return tracks out of line ofsight to simulate scoring a hit, anelectric circuit for said device for energizing said pivoting means, means on said target tracks and cooperating with said rolling ball target and said supporting means for energizing said pivoting means for pivoting said supporting means out of supporting position to permit the ball rolling target to pass out of line of reflection of said mirrors and out of sight of the operator to simulate scoring a hit.

6. The device as defined by claim 5 wherein said means on said target tracks comprises electrical contacts in circuit with said electric circuit and said pivoting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Read Sept. 21, 1937 Tratsch Mar. 22, 1938 Dreyer Sept. 24, 1940 Tratsch Oct. 6, 1942 Morelli Mar. 27, 1945 Dale Feb. 23, 1954 

